NEW INFORMATION: Sides file gay marriage briefs in federal court

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Civil rights advocates are trying to persuade a federal appeals court it has no jurisdiction to end gay marriages in Wisconsin yet.

U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb found the state's gay marriage ban unconstitutional last week in an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit. County clerks have started issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples even though Crabb has yet to issue an order telling them what to do.

Republican Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen contends that absent such an order the ban remains in effect. He has asked the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals to halt the marriages while he appeals.

The ACLU filed a brief Wednesday arguing the court lacks jurisdiction until Crabb issues an order. State attorneys counter in their own brief that the court clearly has jurisdiction.------------------------------------------MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The judge who struck down Wisconsin's ban on same-sex marriages has set a Friday hearing to hear arguments on what she should order state officials to do next.

U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb on Wednesday set the hearing for 1 p.m. on Friday.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a proposed order that would require state officials to let gay couples marry and to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.

Van Hollen also reiterates his request to Crabb that she put her ruling on hold pending his planned appeal, a move that that would put an end to gay marriages in the state for now.-----------------------------------------MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Fifty-two Wisconsin counties are now issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

A survey of all 72 counties by The Associated Press on Wednesday found that only 20 counties were still denying same-sex couples who wished to get a marriage license after a federal court judge last week struck down the state's gay marriage ban.

The AP survey found that 483 licenses had been issued statewide as of midday Wednesday. About 76 percent of those, or 368, were issued in Dane and Milwaukee counties.

The state Vital Records Office started processing the licenses on Wednesday, after it had kept them on hold pending legal advice from the attorney general.

This could be a narrow window for couples to get licenses, as the ruling striking the ban could be put on hold.-------------------------------------------MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen is asking a federal judge who struck down the state's ban on gay marriage to act quickly on an order telling state officials what to do next.

Van Hollen on Wednesday filed an objection to the proposed order submitted on Monday by the American Civil Liberties Union, which brought the lawsuit on behalf of eight gay couples.

Van Hollen says the request by the ACLU is overly broad.

The Republican Van Hollen asks U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb to issue her final ruling without any additional hearing or argument. He also reiterates his request to Crabb that she put her ruling on hold pending his planned appeal, a move that that would put an end to gay marriages in the state for now.------------------------------------------------MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The Wisconsin Office of Vital Records is now processing same-sex marriage licenses issued across the state, even as the attorney general continues to fight the court ruling that led to the marriages.

The office had been holding the licenses that are issued by county clerks, awaiting further guidance from Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen following Friday's federal court ruling striking down the state's ban on same-sex marriages.

Jocelyn Webster, a spokeswoman for Gov. Scott Walker, said Wednesday that after discussing the issue with Van Hollen's office, the decision was made to process the licenses.

Webster says, "It's incumbent upon them to fulfill their administrative duties and that's what they're going to do in this case."--------------------------------------MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Gay marriages are continuing in a majority of Wisconsin counties, even as those defending the state's ban are proceeding with legal action that could result in courts ordering the marriages to stop.

Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen and the American Civil Liberties Union faced a Wednesday deadline to file arguments in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals on whether it has the authority to act before U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb does.

While Crabb struck down the ban, she did not issue an order telling the state how to implement her decision.

The state argues her ruling should be put on hold because it's creating confusion. Some county clerks are not issuing licenses, saying they need more guidance.

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